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--- July we're now 6 months into the challenge. How do you think it's going for you? Ready to quit, need to rethink budget, helped you be more careful, or really reduced spend?

July Challenge

--- Since the challenges don't seem to be too popular, I just thought I would encourage you to go try a Challenge here at SCS you haven't played before. There are LOTS of GREAT choices!

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Traveling Box of Stash
-- we have a box of "stash" we're sharing to curb the need for something new by sharing and recycling those items we won't use. We have a box that's being passed around. You take a few items and add a few items. If you would like to participate, sign up in the thread, you'll be PM'd for your address when it's your turn to receive the box

It's July .... how is everyone doing so far?

*** ALSO -- Traveling Stash Box -- Must Travel
For you ladies who donated to the Traveling Stash Box, I'm going to send you a PM as well but the box has been sitting here in my Craft Space expanding, (LOL) as I find more to add to it. It hasn't been requested in months. I would like to make the suggestion that I divide it up into envelopes and possibly we share with others who may be on a "craft freeze" due to financial changes? OR I take it and donate it to the Senior Center not too far from my house. They have a Craft Area and always love donations. Either way we vote, I have to keep stepping around it and I'd like to pass it on ....

Lela, you have a great idea about donating the supplies I'm all for it!!!
July will be my non-spending month this year, August might be as well... I'm back to school in August and I'll have no time/money to shop or craft...

__________________
Anna.

"Fearless is not the absence of fear. Fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you." (Taylor Swift)

I didn't find this thread until recently, so I just started this in June. I found the worksheets that were posted on this thread very helpful. I have mine all made up and ready to be copied. I also have a little notebook that stays right by my PC so that when I comment on cards, post blogs, etc, I can put little tic marks so that every week I can go back and fill in my worksheet.

I need to update my sheet as I spent $60 at Michael's the other day. Bad Emily..Bad Emily...lol. I am also going on vacation next week and they have a Hobby Lobby near where we are going and I so want to go. We don't have one here in my town. I'm so excited.

Thanks for all the help and good advice you guys have given. It's been very helpful.

The donation box sounds like a wonderful idea. I would be willing to add to it. If you want to send it to a destination, Ransom, Pa sounds like a good place to send it so it can grow.

*** ALSO -- Traveling Stash Box -- Must Travel
............OR I take it and donate it to the Senior Center not too far from my house. They have a Craft Area and always love donations. Either way we vote, I have to keep stepping around it and I'd like to pass it on ....

Hi Lela, I also think it's a great idea for you to donate the TSB to your local Senior Center! I'm sure they'll really appreciate it!

June went well for me, until the last week...my SU! demonstrator & good friend was begging for orders to meet her quarterly totals...so I caved in & gave her an order. I justified it by realizing that I hadn't purchased anything other than adhesives since April.

I'm not ready to quit yet!! Even tho I don't post a lot here, this forum keeps me inspired to think about my spending, & about using what I have. Now I need to check out some challenges & get inspired to make some cards!

I can't say that I have really stuck with the plan of not spending anything for a specific month...but the success is that I've have cut WAAAYYYY back on buying things. I've really committed this year to using more of what I have than buying something and it's been fun because I'm finding things I forgot that I had and using things in new ways. One thing that has really shocked me is the stamps I have. Yes, I have so many that never see ink. But I'm finding that it's neat to go through and use some of those now instead of buying something new. I'm not crafting as much as I would like - but when I do it's fun to see what I have and use that.

I have combined this thread with my 100 cards in 100 days challenge and probably haven't stuck to either one perfectly. I haven't bought much, but here and there I have picked up a little cardstock, adhesives, and a stamp set or two. I have won a lot of things over the year, though, including 100 6x6 sheets of assorted, discontinued SU patterned paper, an entire Flourishes stamp release and a few other stamp sets from Gina K and Sweet n Sassy and Verve, so that's been fun. It's amazing, though, how I *still* want other sets, even though I have so many. What's up with that!! I love this thread because it keeps reminding me that I have what I need for the project I'm working on. Therefore I have enough. And more than enough!!!

Tricia - I know what you mean about still "wanting" stamp sets. I drool all the time when the new releases come out for different companies....but I'm really trying to be good and use what I have. It's fantastic that you have won so much over the year!!! Gee girl, maybe you should send in that ol' publishers clearinghouse thing - who knows!

I have done well this month. I just ordered some Tombo Mono Adhesive refills from Discountofficeitems.com they are $1.76 a piece and free shipping today only. I over spent at the beginning of the year but I have been able to stick to a budget the last couple of months.

I finally broke down and placed an order that I have had in a shopping cart for months. This is the first order I have made in about 4 months so I don't feel to bad about what I ordered. I haven't done much in the way of stamping for a little while though.

I haven't posted for a while so I need to update. I have been sticking to my budget. I haven't bought anything since I started this challenge. I'm dying to go shopping..lol. I made myself a tracker sheet and have been keeping tabs on how many cards I make, how many comments I leave, how many blog post I have done. So far, I need to pay myself $221. I have added in the budget I set for each month in that total. So, in December, I am going on a shopping spree...yippee.. Then in January, I will start over.

It's August already, how did that happen?? I haven't checked out the August Challenge yet--guess I should go do that!

I have to admit to a "slip" also in July...but it's my sister's fault! She is a scrapbook swap hostess on another website (!), & talked me into joining one of her swaps to round it out with participants...and of course I HAD to purchase not only the required items for my part in the swap, but other really cool things in the same line... so shame on me....

But I'm back on the wagon this month, I swear...except for maybe some new stamp sets from SU! from the Holiday Catalog (darn it, why do they do that??? I think I have my resolve all set, & then I get a new catalog...) Oh, I'm hopeless...the first part of the year went so well... But I'm going to try really hard to resist the urge...

Can you believe we're going into month #8 for this year? How's it going for all of you. Remember, this thread and idea is about being conscientious shoppers and reducing impulse buys that cause stash build up. It's not about eliminating spend totally unless that's what you want it to be. I've seen some great thought processes developed and utilized!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lmn

August Question of the Month

--- August, the last of the Summer Vacation Time before the kids go back to school. What about you? What other hobbies do you put your spending $$ toward or are you a die-hard stamp/scrapper?

--- there was no interest in challenges so we'll just keep being inspired by the SCS challenges in the forum
--- The Traveling Box Supplies were donated to a Senior Center.

Can you believe we're going into month #8 for this year? How's it going for all of you. Remember, this thread and idea is about being conscientious shoppers and reducing impulse buys that cause stash build up. It's not about eliminating spend totally unless that's what you want it to be. I've seen some great thought processes developed and utilized!

I have done really well. I had planned on going to the Hobby Lobby down near Hershey when we went on vacation, but I didn't. So, my account is up to $325. Oh I can't wait until December...I have tried to not spend anything since I started this thread, and I have stuck to it.

August for me is a cleaning, organizing month. I homeschool my daughter, so I use August to finish up any "classroom" organization and cleaning that needs to be done as well as deep cleaning the house because once school starts on the 27th, I only get to really clean on Saturdays. I have some health problems that prevent me from doing alot at one time, so I have to stretch it out.

Did well this month. More importantly I have been scrapbooking so much I need to buy more paper. My goal for September is to complete projects I have started. I have a bad habit of starting a projects and not finishing. In August I completed some of those projects and hope to finish up in September. It feels great to get these projects completed.

Hi all, wow, another month just flew right by me! Super busy at work (not with my "real life"!), too much overtime, bleah. The paycheck is nice, but I'd really rather have the TIME to do what I want, which is stamping!! So all I managed to do in August was try to keep up making the cards I needed as I went along...mostly birthday cards. Didn't have time to post any to my gallery...well, I guess I didn't make the time.

This weekend I'm painting my craft room! I spent all day today (had the day off) taking ALLLL my stuff out of the room--plan to get it painted tomorrow & then move everything back IN! (This is a good way to find out that I still have way too much "stuff"!! Maybe I'll sort as I go along, and start another donation box.)

After I get all moved back in to what will at least feel like a 'new' room (well, at least it'll smell new!) my goals for September are to make all my Halloween cards; and to make 20 Christmas cards--that'll be a good start for me on Christmas! All without spending any more money...as I have a TON of Christmas paper, stamps & embellies!

I am new 2 SCSI & am so happy 2 find this thread... ok so its not January resolution time but IMO there no good time like the present...can you say "I have stash"? I also have weaknesses for impulse buying... those email subscriptions get me almost every time but I have discovered it painless just to hit "delete" without opening them... now if I can just get my stamps friend to quit dangling her new finds without causing me such "need envy". I have 2 be honest & say I could make cards & SB pages for a year & only need to buy adhesives & print pics. I can do this & with the DH sick I have little choice. I so look forward 2 finding encouragement here among new friends...

I am new 2 SCSI & am so happy 2 find this thread... ok so its not January resolution time but IMO there no good time like the present...can you say "I have stash"? I also have weaknesses for impulse buying... those email subscriptions get me almost every time but I have discovered it painless just to hit "delete" without opening them... now if I can just get my stamps friend to quit dangling her new finds without causing me such "need envy". I have 2 be honest & say I could make cards & SB pages for a year & only need to buy adhesives & print pics. I can do this & with the DH sick I have little choice. I so look forward 2 finding encouragement here among new friends...

Welcome to the group. Most of us have enough to go an entire year before we even put a dent into our stuff. The goal of this group is to spend wisely and to use our resources well. I am still going to spend about $300 this year, but this is the first year I used my money wisely. I also have been scrapbooking and card making more than ever. Most my money has been spent on paper,albums and adhesive. I did buy a couple of smoochies for fun. The last couple of months this site has been pretty quiet. How is everyone else doing?

Wow very quiet for the month of October. I am going to assume everyone is just crafting away with no time to talk. I started my Christmas cards today. Going to have to order more paper soon but other than that don't plan to buy much this month.

Well, I'd like to say that I've been so busy stampin' away that I haven't had time to chat here...but I've actually been so dang busy at work (fall is busy anyway, & in an election year, it's worse!) that I've just been too tired or else too busy working overtime to really dig in to my crafting! I'm lucky I got Halloween cards done for the grandkids & nieces & nephews! (I really should post some pic's of those cards....)

I started my Christmas cards today, too! I had really good intentions of starting last January & making 6 a month. Oh well, now I'm shooting for at least 2 every day during November! Two a day for the REST of November, that is!! And I'd better get off the computer and back to my stamps & paper here in a minute...thank goodness Daylight Savings Time ends tonight--that gives me a whole extra hour of stamping, right???!

I really do NOT need to spend ANY money on Christmas paper, stamps, ribbon or embellies. What I need is adhesives, so that is my crafting budget item for November and December. Oh, and new blades for my paper trimmer! If I can stick to that, I think my reward will be one new Cricut cartridge in January (hopefully with after-Christmas-sale-price!). I have my eye on Fontopia...we'll see!

Hope everyone is doing well and scrapping away. Didn't get to scrap too much this month but will pick it up again after Christmas. I went over my budget a bit but I definately made wiser choices. Less impluse buys and more thoughtful purchases.